NEW YORK, Aug 12 — When United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signed the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation at a meeting in the Thai resort city of Phuket last month, most commentators in the region saw it as a positive move.

Any evidence of renewed US interest in South-east Asia was surely welcome, particularly when, as in this case, it came in the form of an undertaking not to interfere in the internal affairs of Asean member states.

Many South-east Asian countries, hoping to benefit from China’s economic growth without becoming smothered by Beijing’s growing military strength, have long regarded the US as a force for stability. This is particularly true with respect to the South China Sea, where vital trade routes cut across conflicting territorial claims.

But not everyone is likely to be equally enthusiastic about America’s renewed attention to South-east Asia. After all, Clinton did more than sign a treaty. She also held an unprecedented ministerial meeting with Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand almost immediately afterwards.